An evaluation of thrombocytopenia cases in the hematology clinic of the ankara numune training and research hospital

Abstract

Background: Thrombocytopenia is a major disease that requires the referral of outpatient and hospitalized patients to hematology specialists. Objectives: The present study aims to evaluate the laboratory and transfusion statuses of adult patients admitted to our hospital and receiving outpatient/inpatient treatment and diagnosed with thrombocytopenia (< 100 x 109/l). Design: Single-center, retrospective, laboratory-based study. Patients and Methods: In the study, after obtaining permission of the hospital's Non-Invasive Clinical Research Ethics Committee, the information of patients diagnosed with thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100 x 109/l) and who were examined and treated in the outpatient/inpatient settings between 2008 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed using patient files and the hospital electronic database. Sample Size: A total of 1020 patients diagnosed with thrombocytopenia. Results: The patients were divided into groups according to the most common diagnoses for diseases associated with thrombocytopenia (hematological malignancy, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)-sepsis, immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), infection, and chronic liver disease (n=708). Chemotherapy-induced, drug-induced, nutritional (B12, folate deficiency, etc.), OKIT, pregnancy-induced thrombocytopenias and other less common causes of thrombocytopenia were evaluated in a separate group (n=312). It was found that female patients were more frequently diagnosed with ITP (71.7 vs. 28.3%). Sex distributions were similar in other groups. The highest mean age (71 years: 50/80) was observed in patients with DIC-sepsis, whereas the lowest mean age was found in patients with ITP (40 years: 30/57) (P < 0.001). It was found that the most frequent need for transfusion developed in patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and aplastic anemia. Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that the prevalence of thrombocytopenia was highest in patients diagnosed with hematological malignancy, ITP, and DIC-sepsis, respectively. In cases of hematological malignancy, the need for replacement of blood products is considered to be inevitable during the treatment process of the underlying disease compared with other clinical conditions.